[tn-bird] Re: Raptor mortality crisis in Ohio

There was a story this morning on NPR about West Nile Virus and wild bird die-
offs.  They specifically mentioned crows, jays, and some concerns about 
Whooping Cranes.  Often NPR has print versions on their website of the 
newstories they carry.  I haven't looked to see if they do for this one.

Tracey Everson
Maryville, TN
Blount Co


Quoting Wallace Coffey <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>:

> 
> TN-Birders:
> 
> The following is a forward posting regarding a terrible crisis effecting
> raptors in Ohio.  I got thismessage from the Richmond, Virginia 
> Birding Listserver.   Read on......
> 
> Let's go birding...
> 
> Wallace Coffey
> Bristol, TN
> --------------------------BEGIN FORWARD----------------------
> Richmonders....
> 
> Here is an alert from Ohio about a wildlife crisis that could be related
> to West
> Nile Virus.  I have not heard of it spreading to our Virginia rehab
> centers as it 
> has in Ohio.  What a tragedy!       Larry Lynch,  birder6@xxxxxxxx
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: Ohio Raptor mortality . . . WNV implicated
> 
> >>From: "Mona Rutger" 
> >>Subject: Back To The Wild update on wildlife crisis . . .
> >>Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2002 00:56:46 -0700
> >>
> >>Dear Friends:
> >>
> >>I wanted to make you all aware of what is happening at Back To The 
> >>Wild.  This is an update on a wildlife crisis in Ohio that has hit 
> >>rehabilitation centers and zoos hard!  It is statewide.  In just two 
> >>weeks, almost every center in Ohio has experienced unheard of
> admissions 
> >>of Great Horned Owls daily from the wild; [plus] Red-tails, Coopers and
> other 
> >>raptor species.  Most are Great Horneds - and most all have head
> tremors 
> >>and some with paralysis of the legs.  Many are dying quickly, within 48
> 
> >>hours, though a few seem to be recovering.  Most are found standing or 
> >>laying on the ground, unaware of their surroundings and allow you to
> just 
> >>pick them up.  Today, I received eight more affected Great Horned Owls,
> 
> >>two Red-tails and yet another call just now about another Great 
> >>Horned!  It is unbelievable.  How many birds are down out there that 
> >>aren't being found? There are 18 sick birds here and I have begun 
> >>euthanizing several.  A few are recovering and then will be immune for
> the 
> >>rest of their life to West Nile.
> >>
> >>Worse yet, most centers have lost Education Birds that have been at our
> 
> >>centers for 10 or more years.  They die overnight, without 
> >>warning.  Rehabbers are devastated.  I have lost four caged birds here,
> 
> >>and fear for the Bald Eagles and other raptors at our center.  Sue has 
> >>lost her program Snowy Owl and Merlin and most centers have lost
> Barreds, 
> >>Great Horneds, Red-tails and Kestrels.  I have heard several Falconers 
> >>have lost Gyrfalcons.  We cannot protect our birds, as we don't have 
> >>results back yet, and we can't move them to safer quarters, because
> doing 
> >>so would cause major stress and weaken their immune systems.  We are
> all 
> >>suspecting West Nile.  Bringing them into our centers means that 
> >>mosquitoes feeding on them can fly about the program cages and infect 
> >>those birds.  This is a great health risk and even euthanizing any 
> >>incoming birds doesn't protect our Education Birds, because they are 
> >>coming from every county in Ohio and if it is West Nile, that means the
> 
> >>mosquitoes are out there anyway.  We know we can't save all these
> incoming 
> >>birds and shouldn't, but we do have to protect our permanent residents
> at 
> >>our centers.  Next year, the weaker ones should be eliminated from the 
> >>environment and those that survived will be a perfect example of
> nature's 
> >>efficient system of "natural selection".
> >>
> >>My veterinarian was here until 11:30 p.m. collecting blood and tissue 
> >>samples and we packaged entire birds on ice to be sent to the Ohio
> Dept. 
> >>of Health and the National Health Animal Diagnostic Lab in Madison, 
> >>WI.   
>        
> One center sent in two Great Horned Owls and one Red-tail and all 
> >>three tested positive for West Nile.  
> 
> The advice from Federal and State 
> >>agencies is to put mosquito netting over all our cages!  Absolutely 
> >>impossible!  Some of the cages are over 60 to 100 feet long and 16 feet
> 
> >>high.  How can you mosquito proof that?!  Humans will not get the West 
> >>Nile virus from contact with an infected bird in their area, but must
> be 
> >>bitten by a mosquito who has bitten an infected bird.  However, lab 
> >>technicians have contracted West Nile from the blood of infected birds,
> 
> >>that came in contact with cuts on their hands.   News Channel 13 called
> 
> >>and some newspapers who will create a public panic if they don't handle
> 
> >>this right.  Very few humans get sick from exposure to West Nile - 
> >>flu-like symptoms and then it is over.  Individuals with weakened
> immune 
> >>systems, however, are at risk.
> >>
> >>Well, I really wanted to let some of you who would have interest in
> this 
> >>and are involved with Back To The Wild, to know what's going on before
> you 
> >>read about it in the paper, etc.  We are running on nerves and little
> rest 
> >>and a great support system networking with our fellow rehabbers and 
> >>veterinarians.  Marianne Socha, DVM in Huron, once again has donated
> her 
> >>time and energy to help us through this.  We are truly indebted to 
> >>her.  
> 
> Take care.  
> 
> Bill and Mona Rutger
> Castalia, Ohio
> --------------------------END FORWARD------------------------------
> 
> 
> =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
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>     TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
>         jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx      (423) 764-3958
> =========================================================
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> 
> 


=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================

The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
-----------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
----------------------------------------------------- 
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
     Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
          web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
        jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx      (423) 764-3958
=========================================================

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